THE GENERATOR
A series of architectural studies that explore the possibilities of different design generators to guide the architectural process.
Figure 1: Detail Model | 04 Final Model
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THE GENERATOR by Sean Michael Fallace A Terminal Master’s Project Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of architecture School of Architecture and Community Design College of the Arts University of South Florida Date of Approval: May 05, 2017
Thesis Chair:
Bob MacLeod Director of Architecture University of South Florida | Tampa, FL
Thesis Committee:
Chris Osborn Architect and Regional Director at Llyman Davidson Dooley Tampa, FL | Atlanta, GA Josue Robles Professor of Architecture University of South Florida | Tampa, FL
Guest Critics:
Paul Robinson Judy Birdsong Martin Gunderson Nancy Sanders Dan Powers Steve Cooke
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To my loving family, friends, and faculty. Thank you. Without your endless support, guidance, and patience, I would never have achieved my dream.
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CONTENTS
List of Figures Problem Statement + Abstract Historical Reference | Precedents
01 02 03 04
The Reliquary | Relic 24 Fiat Lux | Light 36 Tactics to Operate | Context 48 Design through Detail | Detail 68 Future Applications
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08 13 14
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 1 Figure 2: Tectonic Study | 04 Process Drawing 12 Figure 3: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_4589_edited.jpg 15 Figure 4: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nB-NFZCzT_w/SoRoRCJnx3I/AAAAAAAAAIk/v8Jr8cmB58A/s1600/ 16 Figure 5: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Museo-civico-castelvecchio-886x590.jpg 16 Figure 6: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_4550_edited.jpg 16 Figure 7: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_4563_edited.jpg 16 Figure 8: Photo | Castelvecchio | https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/07/75/cb/0775cb7389a456d2db4134ab1ed3a39c.jpg 17 Figure 9: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nB-NFZCzT_w/SoRoMWSKZ5I/AAAAAAAAAIc/ 17 Figure 10: Diagram | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/9bbb/e58e/ce07/4f00/027c/slideshow/Step_Diagram. jpg?1461164832 18 Figure 11: Detail |Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/9bbb/e58e/ce07/4f00/027c/slideshow/Step_Diagram. jpg?1461164832 18 Figure 12: Process Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/98c0/e58e/ce9e/0b00/0120/slideshow/ 18 Figure 13: Process Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/988f/e58e/ce9e/0b00/011f/slideshow/ 18 Figure 14: Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/985d/e58e/ce9e/0b00/011e/slideshow/2153_160401_ MVRDV_Crystal_Houses_Amsterdam_v01.jpg?1461164104 19 Figure 15: Site Plan | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/34e4/e8e4/4ee8/e100/0179/large_jpg/Location.jpg?1382233298 20 Figure 16: Building Plan | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/34df/e8e4/4e88/a000/0187/slideshow/first.jpg? 20 Figure 17: Diagram | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/34c0/e8e4/4ef4/c200/018f/large_jpg/diagram_(2).jpg?1382233275 21 Figure 18: Photo | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/3267/e8e4/4ef4/c200/0188/slideshow/sof-image-by-rasmushjortshoj-01_original.jpg? 21 Figure 19: Perspective | Suitcase House | https://suitcasehouse.files.wordpress.com/ 22 Figure 20: Photo | Suitcase House |https://www.mimoa.eu/images/11144_l.jpg 22 Figure 21: Photo | Suitcase House | http://www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gary-chang-suitcase-house- 23 Figure 22: Plan | Suitcase House | http://www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gary-chang-suitcase-house- 23 Figure 23: Photo | 01 Final Model 25 Figure 24: Photo | Agdag | http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/TheHunted_2015.jpg 26 Figure 25: Photo | 01 Process Model 27 Figure 26: Photo | 01 Process Model 27 Figure 27: Silhouettes | 01 Process Drawings 28 Figure 28: Hand Drawing | 01 Process 28 Figure 29: Mixed-Media Collage | 01 Process 29 Figure 30: Diagram | 01 Process 30 Figure 31: Photo | 01 Final Model 31 Figure 32: Photo | 01 Final Model 32 Figure 33: Photo | 01 Final Model 32 Figure 34: Photo | 01 Final Model 32 Figure 35: Photo | 01 Final Model 32 Figure 36: Cross Sections | 01 Process 34 Figure 37: Photo | 01 Final Model 34 Figure 38: Photo | 01 Final Model 35 Figure 39: Photo | 02 Light Study 37 Figure 40: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 38 Figure 41: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 38 Figure 42: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 38 Figure 43: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 39 Figure 44: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 40 Figure 45: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02 41 Figure 46: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 47: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 48: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 49: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 50: Photo | 02 Light Study 42
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Figure 51: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 52: Photo | 02 Light Study 42 Figure 53: Photo | 02 Light Study 43 Figure 54: Axonometric Drawing | 02 Final Drawing 44 Figure 55: Longitudinal Section. Building Plan. Site Plan | 02 Final Drawing 44 Figure 56: Diagram | 02 Process 45 Figure 57: Photo | 02 Light Study 45 Figure 58: Elevation. Site Plan | 02 Final Drawing 46 Figure 59: Diagram | 03 Process 49 Figure 60: Catalog | 03 Process 50 Figure 61: Diagram | 03 Process 52 Figure 62: Diagram | 03 Process 54 Figure 63: Photo | 03 Final Models 55 Figure 64: Photo | Savannah GA | https://www.scad.edu/sites/default/files/LOCATIONS/Savannah-scenes/Savannah- 56 Figure 65: Diagram | Savannah GA | 03 Process 58 Figure 66: Photo | 03 Final Model 58 Figure 67: Sketch | 03 Process 58 Figure 68: Diagram | 03 Process 58 Figure 69: Photo | Manhattan, NY | http://www.codex99.com/cartography/images/nyc/aerial_lg.jpg 60 Figure 70: Photo | Manhattan, NY | http://www.trowbridgegallery.com/lib/SetCollections/TA/Zoom/LargeImages/TA189.gif 61 Figure 71: Diagram | Manhattan, NY | 03 Process 62 Figure 72: Photo | 03 Final Model 62 Figure 73: Sketch | 03 Process 62 Figure 74: Diagram | 03 Process 62 Figure 75: Map | Scotland | https://maproom.net/wp-content/uploads/03-scotland-physical.jpg 64 Figure 76: Photo | Fife, Scotland | https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/46/e3/d546e32e035727a9e8f57926457177aa.jpg 65 Figure 77: Diagram | Fife, Scotland | 03 Process 66 Figure 78: Photo | 03 Final Model 66 Figure 79: Sketch | 03 Process 66 Figure 80: Diagram | 03 Process 66 Figure 81: Detail Diagram | 04 Process 69 Figure 82: Competition Brochure | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 70 Figure 83: Location Diagram | Italy | 04 Process 71 Figure 84: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 85: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 86: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 87: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 88: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 89: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 90: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 91: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 72 Figure 92: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 73 Figure 93: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort 73 Figure 94: Site Analysis | 04 Process 74 Figure 95: Site Location | 04 Process 75 Figure 96: Site Analysis | 04 Process 75 Figure 97: Site Analysis | 04 Process 75 Figure 98: Section Drawings | 04 Process 76 Figure 99: Detail Drawing | 04 Process 76 Figure 100: Detail Drawing | 04 Process 76 Figure 101: Elevation | 04 Process 78 Figure 102: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 80 Figure 103: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 80 Figure 104: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 80
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LIST OF FIGURES Figure 105: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 81 Figure 106: Section. Plan. | 04 Final Drawings 82 Figure 107: Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings 83 Figure 108: Axonometric Study | 04 Process Drawings 84 Figure 109: Detail Section and Elevation | 04 Process Drawings 85 Figure 110: Kinetic Curtain Wall | Axonometric | 04 Process Drawings 85 Figure 111: Plan | 04 Final Drawings 86 Figure 112: Exploded Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings 87 Figure 113: Sketch | 04 Process 88 Figure 114: Plan | 04 Final Drawings 88 Figure 115: Exploded Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings 89 Figure 116: Box Studies | 04 Process 90 Figure 117: Box Studies | 04 Process 90 Figure 118: Box Studies | 04 Process 91 Figure 119: Box Studies | 04 Process 92 Figure 120: Box Studies | 04 Process 93 Figure 121: Longitudinal Section | 04 Final Drawing 94 Figure 122: Sketch | 04 Process 94 Figure 123: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing 95 Figure 124: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing 95 Figure 125: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing 95 Figure 126: Site Plan | 04 Final Drawing 97 Figure 127: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing 99 Figure 128: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing 100 Figure 129: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing 100 Figure 130: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing 100 Figure 131: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing 102 Figure 132: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing 102 Figure 133: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing 102 Figure 134: Elevation Study | 04 Process Drawing 103 Figure 135: Axonometric | 04 Process Drawing 103 Figure 136: Detail Model | 04 Final Model 106
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Figure 2: Tectonic Study | 04 Process Drawing
PROBLEM STATEMENT + ABSTRACT
Design Theory has long been, and continues to be, a guiding force in my architectural career. It was always interesting to me how I could incorporate concepts from architectural readings into my studio design projects. The avant-garde approaches of theorists and architects like Bernard Tschumi, Jeffrey Kipnis, and Peter Eisenman were consistently guiding my designs into new spectrums of possibility. Perhaps the most influential theory came from a paper by Marco Frascari, The Tell-The-Tale Detail. Frascari looks to indicate the role of details as generators of architectural design. He explains how “the details are the possibilities of innovation and invention, and it is through these that architects can give harmony to the most uncommon and difficult or disorderly environment generated by a culture (Frascari).” Perhaps the most intriguing part of his argument was not the role of detail in the architectural process, but the possibilities that arise from replacing the generator in a project. The generator of an architectural construct has traditionally been ascribed to the plan, a two-dimensional schematic drawing. This approach has long been criticized for its oversights in the conflicting standards of correctness and functionality. Richard Sennet, author of the Craftsman, described this as technical skill being removed from the imagination. Designing with the plan as the generator leaves the architectural detail as a way to functionally support the plan, but seizes to conceptually be the only solution for that project. Without the proper generator to drive the design process, architectural concepts are interchangeable and insignificant. In Frascari’s paper, the detail represents tectonic expression in the realm of the theoretical and empirical. One of the best examples, cited by Frascari, is Carlo Scarpa’s Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona. Castelvecchio embodies the successful application of architectural detail in a project. The proper use of the cosmetic and tectonic details becomes the principle order of the Museum. The details generated the formwork that they inhabit, so they exist in a successful paradigm of cohesive architecture. I used Castlevecchio as a barometer of possibility for alternative generators in the architectural design process. My thesis examines a number of generative devices from successful architecture projects throughout a variety of variables. Although some architects have found comfort in measuring successes through completeness and correctness, others are finding a design process that unlocks the potentials of new and innovative architectures. In the past year, I have dedicated four substantial projects to the pursuit of exploring different architectural generators, each covering a broad range of architectural challenges. Some of the projects overlap in certain aspects, however all presented opportunities for the development of a unique design generator. Finding the correct design generator that galvanizes a successful project is the objective that I look to achieve in my designs. The devices used to generate design were carefully designated to fit the needs of individual projects, allowing for a construct that resonates with the found conditions. Some formal generators in my design process included: designing for the presence or absence of light, using a found artifact as a generator, beginning a design with a detail, and tailoring an intervention to meet the needs of a specific context, or even the absence of context. “I love beginnings. I marvel at beginnings. Beginnings are that which confirm its continuation. I revere learning because it is a fundamental inspiration. It isn’t just something that has to do with duty. It is born into us. The will to learn, the desire to learn, is the greatest of inspirations…In search of beginnings, I have come across the thought that material is spent light. I liken the emergence of light to a manifestation of two brothers knowing quite well that there are not two brothers. Nor that there is one. One is the embodiment of the desire to be to express. And the (other) one-is to be to be. One is light nonluminous, and the one is light of a prevailing luminous (sic). And this prevailing luminous can be visualized as becoming a wild dance of flame that settles and spreads itself into material. Material is spent light. The mountains, the earth, the streams, the air and we are all spent light. The will to be expressed, which I mentioned as the first brother, is the center of our desire. The desire to be to express is a motivation for living. There is no other motivation for living than to express.” -Louis Kahn The Invisible City
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HISTORICAL REFERENCE
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Figure 3: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_4589_edited.jpg
Process Model|15
museo di castelvecchio Verona, Italy Carlo Scarpa
Castelvecchio was built in 1355 by the Scala family. It witnessed the dramatic trials of multiple wars and regimes, but lost the majority of its structural integrity. In 1957, the Verona Museum Project, commissioned a restoration by Carlo Scarpa. This restoration gave the museum a viable structure and enclosure, with 29 rooms of paintings, sculptures, weapons and more, from 1300 to 1700. Scarpa saw this project as an opportunity to express his ideology of the detail as a generator. “In the Museum of Castelvecchio, the medieval equestrian statue of Cangrande and the structure which supports it are set in a spatial location that allows a view from the balcony, the bridge, and the court below. This location allows one to view the statue from close-up as well as from below, as it was seen in its original location on Cangrande shrine. This joint originates the full text of the spatial organization of the Castelvecchio Museum. It thus becomes the cause for the formal solution of the museum and the text in the context (Frascari).” The statue is the beginning of the ziggurat joints that act as generators for the wall. The layers of the Figure 5: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/ wall are broken up into independent units, opening the façade to uploads/2014/05/Museo-civico-castelvecchio-886x590.jpg facilitate a new arrangement of the museum, devised by Scarpa. The joints become the key to the articulation of the museums path and the scale composition of different building materials. The details that originate at the equestrian statue create a morphology that is carried throughout the structure, generating everything from the windows to the display podiums. Each detail comes from a set of vernacular rules that Scarpa has created for himself. Scarpa states, “A detail proves its fertility when it moves out of a private architectural language and becomes available through a collective production (Frascari).” This fertile detail, the joint, is the place where both the construction and the construing of architecture take place. In Scarpa’s architecture, as Louis Kahn pointed out, “detail is the adoration of nature (Mukarovsky).” The details of Scarpa’s architecture solve not only practical functions, but also historical, social, and individual functions. Figure 6: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/ uploads/2014/04/IMG_4550_edited.jpg
Figure 4: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nB-NFZCzT_w/ SoRoRCJnx3I/AAAAAAAAAIk/v8Jr8cmB58A/s1600/
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Figure 7: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://archiobjects.org/wp-content/ uploads/2014/04/IMG_4563_edited.jpg
Figure 8: Photo | Castelvecchio | https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/07/75/cb/0775cb7389a456d2db4134ab1ed3a39c.jpg
Figure 9: Photo | Castelvecchio | http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nB-NFZCzT_w/SoRoMWSKZ5I/AAAAAAAAAIc/
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crystal houses Amsterdam, The Netherlands MVRDV
“MVRDV’s Crystal Houses began its existence with the request of Warenar to design a flagship store combining both Dutch heritage and international architecture. MVRDV wanted to make a representation of the original buildings and found a solution through an extensive use of glass. The near full-glass façade mimics the original design, down to the layering of the bricks and the details of the window frames, but is stretched vertically to comply with updated zoning laws and to allow for an increase in interior space. Glass bricks stretch up the façade of Crystal Houses, eventually dissolving into a traditional terracotta brick façade for the apartments (as stipulated in the City’s aesthetics rules), which appears to be floating above the shop floor (MVRDV).” They developed a concept of light and mimicry. MVRDV utilized hybrid architectural devices as the generator for their design. The detail was sculpted with light to provide a solution to the loss of local character in shopping areas around the world. “Crystal Houses offer the store a window surface that contemporary stores need, whilst maintaining architectural character and individuality, resulting in a flagship store that hopes to stand out amongst the rest (MVRDV).”
Figure 11: Detail |Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5717/9bbb/e58e/ce07/4f00/027c/slideshow/Step_Diagram. jpg?1461164832
As there were no precedents for the materials that they were developing, MVRDV allowed their design to shift around the capabilities of the brick detail. Before their application could be fully understood, the bricks needed to exhibit their transparency percentage, structural integrity, and craftsmanship. A team of experts worked for a year in the onsite technical development center for the bricks. Through the application of Dutch Milk and UV-lamps, the experts were able to find a way to achieve a varied transparency in different bricks, an effect that MVRDV utilized in their final design. This is a direct example of how the generator (detail) shaped the architectural process to achieve a result that resonated with the found architectural condition. Despite this, the generator is only as good as the person using it. The experts and architects operated at an extremely high level of accuracy and craftsmanship to ensure the design reached its full potential. Figure 12: Process Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5717/98c0/e58e/ce9e/0b00/0120/slideshow/
Figure 10: Diagram | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5717/9bbb/e58e/ce07/4f00/027c/slideshow/Step_Diagram. jpg?1461164832
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Figure 13: Process Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5717/988f/e58e/ce9e/0b00/011f/slideshow/
Figure 14: Photo | Crystal Houses | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5717/985d/e58e/ce9e/0b00/011e/slideshow/2153_160401_MVRDV_ Crystal_Houses_Amsterdam_v01.jpg?1461164104
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danish national maritime museum 3000 Helsingor, Denmark BIG Architects
The area of Helsingor, Denmark, is known for its iconic view of the Kronborg Castle. The contextual restrictions of this charged site are what make it such a unique architecture. “The Danish Maritime Museum had to find its place in a unique historic and spatial context; between one of Denmark’s most important and famous buildings and a new, ambitious cultural center (BIG Architects).” To not impede on the views to Kronborg Castle, BIG choose to create its subterranean museum in a dry dock. “A series of three double-level bridges span the dry dock, serving both as an urban connection, as well as providing visitors with short-cuts to different sections of the museum (BIG Architects).” These bridges, and other architectural formwork and program, are designed with Historical Maritime systems as the generator. “The harbor bridge closes off the dock while serving as harbor promenade; the museum’s auditorium serves as a bridge connecting the adjacent Culture Yard with the Kronborg Castle; and the sloping zig-zag bridge navigates visitors to the main entrance. This bridge unites the old and new as the visitors descend into the museum space overlooking the majestic surroundings above and below ground. The long and noble history of the Danish Maritime unfolds in a continuous motion within and around the dock, 7 meters (23 ft.) below the ground. All floors connecting exhibition spaces with the auditorium, classroom, offices, café and the dock floor within the museum slope gently creating exciting and sculptural spaces (BIG Architects).”
Figure 16: Building Plan | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5263/34df/e8e4/4e88/ a000/0187/slideshow/first.jpg?
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Figure 15: Site Plan | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/34e4/e8e4/4ee8/e100/0179/large_jpg/Location.jpg?1382233298
Figure 17: Diagram | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/34c0/e8e4/4ef4/c200/018f/large_jpg/diagram_(2).jpg?1382233275
Figure 18: Photo | BIG | http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5263/3267/e8e4/4ef4/c200/0188/slideshow/sof-image-by-rasmus-hjortshoj-01_original. jpg?
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the suitcase house Scaiano, 6578 Caviano, Switzerland Wespi de Meuron Romeo architects
Figure 19: Perspective | Suitcase House | https://suitcasehouse.files.wordpress.com/
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Figure 20: Photo | Suitcase House |https://www.mimoa.eu/images/11144_l.jpg
Figure 21: Plan | Suitcase House | http://www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gary-chang-suitcase-house-
concept The Suitcase House is the symbol for ultimate adaptability. Gary Chang’s design accommodates a proscenium for infinite scenarios of intimacy, privacy, and flexibility. The exemplar house revolutionized the idea of ‘Container’s of human activity (Bowser).’ The structure is made up of three stratums, an upper, middle, and lower level. These strata fulfill different requirements of program in the building. The top stratum provides maximum views and solar exposure to capture the most resources from the continental temperate climate. “The middle strata provides habitation, activity, and flow with a non-hierarchical layout that transforms itself according to the nature of activities, number of inhabitants, and personal preferences for degrees of enclosure and privacy (Edge).” The lower stratum provides storage and intimate spaces of enclosure. The house is designed for the human experience, and is filled with poetic details that adjust to the occupant. It is through interaction with the ‘house’ that it becomes a delightful experience. The Suitcase House is located in remote Beijing, and utilizes natural systems to capture the necessary resources for its sustainability. The dwelling’s high degree of adaptability was orchestrated to assist with the occupants ease and convenience in a context that previously was lacking these qualities. Figure 22: Photo | Suitcase House | http://www.designboom.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/gary-chang-suitcase-house-
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01 THE RELIQUARY
generative device: relic site location: acontextual duration: 4 weeks The architect Renzo Piano explains his own working procedure thus: ‘‘You start by sketching, then you do a drawing, then you make a model, and then you go to reality—you go to the site—and then you go back to drawing. You build up a kind of circularity between drawing and making and then back again (Sennett).” The Reliquary is an exercise to reinterpret, and expand upon, the common working process. It explores the boundaries of design theory, and challenges the limits of the generator in design process. A Reliquary, by definition, is a container for relics. Designing this container is a pragmatic task that takes on an idealistic approach to achieve a unified construction. Most formal projects are quick to investigate the schematic design of program, without first developing a thorough concept in the design process phase of the project. In this exercise, the Relic is defined as the conceptual generator of the Reliquary. It removes the programmatic elements from the process, and challenges the designer to create a vernacular that unifies the construct with the relic that it is to house. The construct delineates the relic to generate a: parti, rhythm, scale, hierarchy, delineation, (en)closure, and figure / ground. This exercise explores how a found element can generate a spatial and linguistic order from its own qualities. The designer will draw from the relic to solve problems, inform program, and create order. Using the relic as a generative device guarantees a construct that internally resonates, transcending the limitations of context and program.
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Figure 23: Photo | 01 Final Model
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SELECTING A RELIC
the principles of aerodynamics by:daniel agdag
Selecting a relic is an important phase of the exercise. The designer should want the relic to possess qualities would positively translate into a vernacular language for formal construction. In selection the relic, I focused on features like concept, construction, materiality, and spatial organization. This pragmatic emphasis led me to the work of Daniel Agdag, a renowned Australian sculptor. One of Agdag’s most well known exhibits is the “The Principles of Aerodynamics”. He describes the exhibit as a physical solution to the manifestation of a psychological problem. The pieces collectively form an ongoing pursuit of ‘escape’ through the metaphor of flight, where some may be successful and others may not. In this exhibit, Agdag uses a stunning mastery of materials with a refined palette of cardboard, glue, and trace paper. He achieves his visual goals through a mastery of spatial order and scalar understanding. Agdag consistently revisited the boundaries of proportion to maintain a balance and cohesiveness in his work. After selecting Agdag’s flying machines as a relic, I developed a series of constructions utilized his values of construction to create a spatial capsule that could begin to speak with the vernacular of his machines. I looked to create a kinetic journey that could interact with his sculptures, and to further exemplify the metaphor of “escape” through flight. The concept of the relic was beginning to take shape through the generative devices that created the formwork.
Figure 24: Photo | Agdag | http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ TheHunted_2015.jpg
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Figure 25: Photo | 01 Process Model
Figure 26: Photo | 01 Process Model
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Figure 27: Silhouettes | 01 Process Drawings
interpreting the relic Translating the Relic was only the beginning of the possibilities that the generator could manifest. Once I had a strong understanding of the concept and order in Daniel Agdag’s, “The Principles of Aerodynamics”, I was able to reinterpret his constructs into a series of drawings that could expand upon the metaphor that he displayed. These drawings maintained some of the original concepts in the relic, while moving beyond the tectonic limitations that the artist had restricted himself with. The drawings informed a two dimensional spatial grid that created a new order and spatial opportunity. This two dimensional grid was then interpreted as a three dimensional matrix. The matrix created an order for a spatial framework that could resonate with the original relic. The original relic from the exercise was being transformed into a formal generator that redefined Agdag’s paradigm. The drawings were becoming autonomous to Agdag’s construct, and created a new hybrid language that explored various stages of spatial possibilities. The language of the Reliquary had been directly influenced from the principles and concepts of the relic.
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Figure 28: Hand Drawing | 01 Process
Figure 29: Mixed-Media Collage | 01 Process
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Figure 30: Diagram | 01 Process
THE RELIC AS A GENERATIVE DEVICE After the relic was analyzed and conceptually explored, it became procreative for additional relics, and in so, additional design generators. The Reliquary exercise transcended scale, context, and program to allow for the raw development of spatial creation. The unique design process created forms that were in accord the original relic, while exploring new strategies that the surpassed the limitations of its tectonic construction. The construct gained complexities that quickly exceeded the relics finite built properties, while still maintaining the original ideologies of language and paradigm. The Reliquary addresses tectonics, spatial order, and a cohesive vernacular language of construction in direct response to the relic as a generator. Rather than limiting the design process to the programmatic requirements of the Reliquary, the relationships address the phenomenological aspects of habitation. The relic maintains a hierarchical datum core that branches out into moments of detail. These moments provide nodal experiences, but ultimately require a strong datum to supplement their behavior. The construct utilizes this experiential order to mimic the environment that the relic activates at a larger scale. The architecture floods light into the construct while employing the original kinetic principles of the relic as an ambient regulator.
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Figure 31: Photo | 01 Final Model
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Figure 34: Photo | 01 Final Model
Figure 33: Photo | 01 Final Model
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Figure 32: Photo | 01 Final Model
Figure 35: Photo | 01 Final Model
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Figure 36: Cross Sections | 01 Process
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Figure 37: Photo | 01 Final Model
Figure 38: Photo | 01 Final Model
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02 FIAT LUX
generative device: light site location: acontextual. marfa, tx duration: 4 weeks There are many theories on the catalog of light in architecture. Perhaps one of the most relevant and influential of these theories came form 16h century Italian architect and theorist, Vincenzo Scamozzi. Scamozzi’s work entered the public realm with his two-volume treatise, L’Idea dell’Architettura Universale (“The Idea of a Universal Architecture”). It was one of the last works of the Renaissance period that dealt with the Theory of Architecture. In this treatise, Vincenzo Scamozzi described six different ‘kinds’ or types of light:
Intense, from direct sun on a clear day Lively and perpendicular (as received in courtyards and domes) Horizontal, free; as received frontally or diagonally Limited light, obstructed by a place’s narrowness (like a street) Secondary light, as it enters from an adjacent directly lit space Minimal light (reflected light)
Each of these light types is dependent on an encounter with an architectural construct or space. Light enters a space by first being interrupted (or gathered) by a surface. Fiat Lux (let there be light) is an exploration into Scamozzi’s catalog of light. It looks at how designing for the absence or presence of light can become a generator for architectural design. The exercise operates with an understanding of how light enters, is received, obstructed, reflected…. It is only with a deep understanding of the properties of light that it can be successfully controlled and employed. To get a better perspective on the qualities of that light can produce, I visited the minimalist artist retreat of Marfa, Texas. It was there that I spent my time around the artwork of Donald Judd and Dan Flavin, renowned sculptors and light innovators. After this trip, I was able to develop light into an instrument that could inform design decisions throughout my architectural process.
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Figure 39: Photo | 02 Light Study
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Figure 40: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
Figure 41: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
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Figure 42: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
donald judd Donald Judd was an artist, architect, and curator in the small city of Marfa, Texas. He tasked himself with creating the exhibition space for his art, while not disturbing the beautiful Texas landscape surrounding him. He was noted for his efforts to maintain the heritage of Marfa’s existing structures by limiting his renovations of structures to interior build outs. Much of the art that Judd produced was designed to frame, and reflect, the wonderful landscape that the instillations called home. At the center of the town are 100 untitled works in mill aluminum by Donald Judd installed in two former artillery sheds that he renovated. He replaced derelict garage doors with long walls of continuous squared and quartered windows, which flood the spaces with light. Judd also added a vaulted roof in galvanized iron on top of the original flat roof, thus doubling the buildings’ height. The semicircular ends of the roof vaults were to be made of glass. The architectural details of the space were structurally minimalist to provide people with a seemingly continuous relationship between landscapes and exhibit. Donald Judd used principles of minimalist construction to fully govern the exhibition of his art. The architecture shaped the art that it housed, and vice versa. The simple architectural details helped him achieve a successful exhibit space without creating alien forms in Marfa’s modest architectural paradigm.
Figure 43: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
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Figure 44: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
dan flavin Dan Flavin was an American, minimalist, artist that specialized in instillation art. In 1980, he was commissioned by the Chinati Foundation to create art instillations in Marfa, Texas. Donald Judd allowed Dan Flavin to select any of his properties to house his instillation. Dan Flavin quickly chose six, identical, military barracks buildings for his work. The buildings acted as the generator of his art. Rather than adjusting a prefabricated instillation to fit within an interchangable space, Flavin designed his art to specifically interact with the unique U-Shaped corridors of the barracks. His work plays with the juxtaposition of the corridor’s symmetrical space. Flavin employed light as a device to symbolically and physically separate the two, otherwise identical, spaces. He created barriers that employ opposing fluorescent colors that occupy the space of a U-shaped corridor building. The fluorescent barriers contrast two windows at the end of each long arm of the corridor, allowing a singular exposure of daylight to enter the building and frame a view into the vast landscape. Flavin’s work shows how light can begin to redefine context and alter an occupant’s perception of space. Much like Donald Judd’s art, Flavin developed his more dramatic instillations as an interior exhibit. His ambient fluorescent light instillation drastically redefined the interior architectural condition, with no impact on the contemporary Marfa landscape.
Figure 45: Photo | Chinati Foundation | 02
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Figure 46: Photo | 02 Light Study
Figure 49: Photo | 02 Light Study
Figure 50: Photo | 02 Light Study
Figure 47: Photo | 02 Light Study
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Figure 48: Photo | 02 Light Study
Figure 51: Photo | 02 Light Study
Figure 52: Photo | 02 Light Study
experimentation Following my trip to Marfa, Texas, I began experimenting with my own light conditions. I constructed narratives describing light qualities that I wanted to explore. The narratives described the qualities of light, shadow, and enclosure of each instance, as an occupant would perceive it. To properly showcase these narratives, I created a series of light boxes that were constructed to generate the different light conditions. The light boxes explored Vincenzo Scamozzi’s six different ‘kinds’ or types of light: Intense, Lively, Horizontal, Limited, Secondary, and Minimal. The light boxes experimented with shadows (sharply defined or harsh), their form, and the gradient from gray to black as the shadows recede into the space rendering depth visible. The light boxes generate a “proposal” for an itinerary wherein light and shadow are substantive and capable of defining space and experience.
Figure 53: Photo | 02 Light Study
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Figure 54: Axonometric Drawing | 02 Final Drawing
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Figure 55: Longitudinal Section. Building Plan. Site Plan | 02 Final Drawing
URBAN FABRIC During the creation of my interior light box narratives, I observed that the interior spatial boundaries were affecting exterior lighting conditions. I began to intelligently draw relationships between the individual light boxes, employing a new series of narratives. Light was consistently used as the generative device, it manipulated spatial boundaries to achieve it’s own desired effect. Once the new narratives were introduced, the absence and presence of light shifted how the light boxes performed in varied proximity to one another. The potential of these lighting conditions continued to grow as they operated in two scales, urban and domestic. The narratives were joined in a dichotomy of interior and exterior relationships.
Figure 56: Diagram | 02 Process
Figure 57: Photo | 02 Light Study
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Figure 58: Elevation. Site Plan | 02 Final Drawing
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03 tactics to operate generative device: context site location: fife, scotland. new york, ny. savannah, ga. duration: 4 weeks As civilization continues to advance, the built realm continues to gain density, and architects find themselves with a unique problem. How do you begin to connect with the existing order? Some buildings will be demolished to make way for the new to be erected. Additionally, selected buildings deemed more culturally significant will be left untouched for historical reference. However, what lies in-between the contrasted choice of leaving a building for historical landmark and the erasure of a building for the aspiration of modernity? The contagion, the remedy, and the recluse are constructive strategies for interacting with a found architectural condition. These strategies look to guide designers with a clear ideology to navigate the complex and difficult transformation of amalgamating a built structure with an intervention. Experimenting in a number of proposals for specific buildings or building types, I began to catalog the serial ways to interact with a found condition. This catalog revealed similarities between different approaches in design method, which were then refined into the three constructive strategies. The methodologies are more heuristic than prescriptive, in that they show how design ingenuity might be applied to a broad spectrum of context. “At the necessary juncture of culture and place, architecture seeks not only the minimal ruin of landscape but something more difficult: a replacement of what was lost with something that atones for the loss....We are also pleased by deference to the landscape, in the places we refuse to occupy, the places we save from ourselves. We vacation in those places, where we have either left the Earth alone or have engaged it in a way that is satisfying, where there are the fewest needless and senseless acts to represent our being.because it is not necessary that buildings be beautiful, but it is necessary that they be necessary. The American landscape is being sacrificed to building. The result is dismal, adding up to nothing satisfactory or even significant except as an accurate self-portrait of our cultural and ethical dissolution.We have forgotten the rule, that the use of a place must not be separate from the abiding in it; we are intent on uses so disrespectful and unnecessary that the place becomes unabidable.� -W G Clark Replacement
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Figure 59: Diagram | 03 Process
Process Model
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The Catalog. tactics to operate categorizing the variables. starting a design challenge by considering the scope, goals, and methods to be used in the project.
Type of Found Architectural Condition
Immediate Site Analysis
Architectural Style of Found Condition
Refurbishment Intent for Found Condition
neutral
site accessibility
extension
significant
site condition + quality
Architecture in Prehistoric Times 11,600 BC to 3,500 BC
sacred
typical
weather climate
+
vegetation and natural features prominent vision lines / visual linkages site levels + drainage sensory features technology available to the site building materials + manpower available to the site
Ancient Egypt 3,050 BC to 900 BC Classical 850 BC to 476 AD Byzantine 527 to 565 AD Romanesque 800 to 1200 AD Gothic 1100 to 1450 AD Renaissance 1400 to 1600 AD Baroque 1600 to 1830 AD
surfaces and materials around the site
Rococo 1650 to 1790 AD
surrounding landuses & buildings
Neoclassicism 1730 to 1925 AD
symbolism and culture of the region
Art Nouveau 1890 to 1914 AD
history of the region
Beaux Arts 1895 to 1925 AD
infrastructure facilities local government
Neo-Gothic 1905 to 1930 AD Art Deco 1925 to 1937 AD Modernist Styles 1900 to Present
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Figure 60: Catalog | 03 Process
Neo-Modernist and Parametricism 21st Century
Elevation Rela Archite
adaptive reuse repair preservation demolition replacement aperture development structural reordering additional considerations
un
Found Condition Materials Palette
Intervention Materials Palette
Intervention Budget
floating
enveloping
brush
brush
strict
elevated
connected
ice and snow
ice and snow
moderate
upon
adjacent
mud and clay
mud and clay
loose
beneath
internal
sand
sand
unrestricted
nderground
distant
stone or rock
stone or rock
thatch
thatch
wood and timber
wood and timber
fired brick and clay block
fired brick and clay block
cement composits
cement composits
concrete
concrete
fabric
fabric
foam
foam
glass
glass
gypcrete
gypcrete
metal
metal
plastics
plastics
papers and membranes
papers and membranes
ceramics
ceramics
parasitic
naturally occuring substances
Intervention Connection Method
injection
man-made substances
n of Intervention in ation to Found ectural Condition
note: matching material palettes between found condition and intervention can result in a more harmonized project.
note: materials not found or manufactured near the site can result in a increase in project difficulty. additionally, materials abundant near the site results in a more feasible project.
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recluse
The recluse defines an intervention that chooses to remain dormant in relation to the found architectural condition. The intervention lives in seclusion and strives for distance from the found condition. The recluse is the most respectful approach towards the found condition, and looks to maintain its idiosyncrasies at the expenditure of the intervention. This does not necessarily require physical distance, as the method merely characterizes the traits of solidarity in the union of new and old.
remedy
The remedy describes an intervention that recognizes the importance of the found architectural condition, and looks to harmonize it with an intervention. It is representative of healing qualities that positively impact the impaired variances of the found architectural condition. The intervention becomes a tool that, when used properly, seamlessly interfaces the two realms of new and old. The remedy method is the most common practice of modern architects, often using the instruments of modernism to create a practical conduit to the historic realms of found architectural conditions. 52|
Figure 61: Diagram | 03 Process
contagion
The contagion resembles of a virus. It finds a host to latch onto and becomes a corrupting influence to that entity. In the relationship between intervention and found architectural condition, the contagion makes no attempt to reconcile gaps between new and old. The intervention usurpation, via building attachment, of the found architectural condition manipulates the structure to suit the needs of its often-separable program. The parasitic structure cannot sustain its own existence without the host building. The contagion method is best suited for uncharged sites that are looking for a new paradigm to characterize them. |53
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Figure 62: Diagram | 03 Process
conjecture + test To properly analyze the use of the contagion strategy, the remedy strategy, and the recluse strategy as a generator, I choose to exercise each of them on a suitable project. The projects require an intervention in the form of a renovation, extension, or adaptive reuse of an existing architectural condition. Despite the projects similar restraints, they varied in aspects such as: geographic location, density, historical relevance, building material, scale, and use. The three different sites allow me to explore the relevance of using a particular generator for architectural design. The sites include a midrise building on the Savannah Riverwalk, a high-rise building adjacent to Freedom Tower, and a castle on the plains of Scotland. Prior to design development, I analyzed each construct, assigning the most appropriate method for intervention. These methods influenced design decisions that ultimately shaped the outcome of the intervention.
Figure 63: Photo | 03 Final Models
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Figure 64: Photo | Savannah GA | https://www.scad.edu/sites/default/files/LOCATIONS/Savannah-scenes/Savannah-
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Figure 65: Diagram | Savannah GA | 03 Process
201 E River St., Savannah Riverwalk. Savannah, GA MVRDV
Figure 66: Sketch | 03 Process
Savannah, Georgia, is home to an iconic Riverwalk District that continues to be a popular tourist attraction. This district has a number of iconic landmark structures that were recently renovated. The Historic River Street, paved with 200-year-old cobblestones, runs along the length of the Savannah River. Once lined with warehouses producing large amounts of cotton, the district was abandoned for over a century as a quarantine precaution to combat a yellow fever epidemic. “The area was rediscovered in the 1970s by local landowners and urban planners determined to revive the history and the glory of old River Street. In June of 1977, at a cost of $7 million, a new waterfront was unveiled for the city of Savannah. Some 80,000 square feet of empty abandoned warehouse space was transformed in to a colorful array of shops, restaurants and art galleries. (Historic Savannah)� The urban-renewal project stabilized much of the downtown, but still left certain parts of the Riverwalk overlooked. The building at 201 E. River St. is an adjacent structure to the Cotton Exchange landmark building. The building acts as a neutral fragment of the most heavily trafficked area along the district. It is home to a small restaurant, however, the remainder of the building is largely underutilized. Thousands of people bypass the structure everyday to reach more interesting buildings along the Riverwalk. It has the ability to become a major attraction in itself with a shift in paradigm and program. The current status of the 201 E. River St. building program is retail and restaurant spaces on the ground floor, with rentable multi-use space above. Due to the buildings need for a complete reconditioning, I utilized the Contagion strategy to develop an intervention. This strategy generated design that could redefine the existing structures underutilized concept. Programmatically, I would like to suggest a renovation that intervenes with the upper stories to house a gallery and observation space. The concept in this intervention is to apply a visual attraction to the most heavily trafficked pedestrian corner of the site, while maintaining the historical significance of the existing structure. The structure currently employs exterior load bearing walls with a simple window and floor grid. This structure would be adapted to house the new concept and program. A structural steel inlay system that can support a glass skin exterior would be the detail that could redefine the building at 201 E. River St. for the better.
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Figure 68: Photo | 03 Final Model
Figure 67: Diagram | 03 Process
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Figure 69: Photo | Manhattan, NY | http://www.codex99.com/cartography/images/nyc/aerial_lg.jpg
Figure 70: Photo | Manhattan, NY | http://www.trowbridgegallery.com/lib/SetCollections/TA/Zoom/LargeImages/TA189.gif
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Figure 71: Diagram | Manhattan, NY | 03 Process
One Liberty Plaza
Figure 72: Sketch | 03 Process
Lower Manhattan, New York Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
One Liberty Plaza, formerly the U.S. Steel Building, is a skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, in New York City. The building is 743 ft. tall with 54 floors. The building is located one block away from the World Trade Center and was directly damaged from the tragedy of September 11th. After the attack, One Liberty Plaza’s façade was restored to its original design, leaving the overall program unchanged. The gravity of September 11th and the structural integrity of One Liberty Plaza’s exoskeleton have yet to warrant the buildings full-scale renovation. Despite this, the potential of One Liberty Plaza has gone unseen. The building is at the epicenter of a public node, but remains distant from the urban fabric. The building should utilize a minimalistic intervention that invites the public into the vertical sector of the context. This intervention will operate within the existing steel exoskeleton of the structure while reinterpreting the buildings programmatic influence. With the proper application of a modernist intervention, One Liberty Plaza has the potential to redefine the urban sector. Due to the emotional significance of the site, I used the Remedy method as the generator to develop the intervention. This method allowed for the intervention to reach its full realization, while maintaining the proper restraint that is needed for the site.
Figure 73: Diagram | 03 Process
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Figure 74: Photo | 03 Final Model
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Figure 75: Map | Scotland | https://maproom.net/wp-content/uploads/03-scotland-physical.jpg
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Figure 76: Photo | Fife, Scotland | https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/46/e3/d546e32e035727a9e8f57926457177aa. jpg
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Figure 79: Diagram | Fife, Scotland | 03 Process
Figure 77: Sketch | 03 Process
Lordscairnie Castle Aberdeenshire, Scotland MVRDV
Located in the plains of Fife, Scotland, Lordscairnie Castle comes with 30 acres of land and a mote. Originally an L-plan tower house with five stories, Lordscairnie Castle was an observation structure constructed around 1500 by Alexander Lindsay of Auchtermoonzie (Millar). It was a strategic military asset from the Medieval period. The Castle was unoccupied by the 17th century and had most of its structural elements robbed. The source of the robbing was traced to the recycling of the castle’s masonry for new farm and wall buildings (Millar). The castle’s tower slowly became compromised and dilapidated, rendering the original program obsolete. I have proposed an intervention that restores Lordscairnie Castle to its original prestige as an observation tower. The intervention would be made up of structural glass and scaffolding to maintain the original majesty of the castle. This would visually allow the occupant to see the harmony between new and old while still fulfilling the proposal. Due to the Castle’s heritage and materiality, I used the Reclusive strategy as the generator to develop the intervention. This strategy kept the intervention physically and symbolically separated from the historical significance of the found architectural condition.
Figure 78: Diagram | 03 Process
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Figure 80: Photo | 03 Final Model
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04 DESIGN THROUGH DETAIL generative device: detail site location: roccomandolfi, italy duration: 12 weeks One of the constants in architecture is the importance of the proper application of the architectural detail. Details tell us what a building is; they are fundamental to the life and personality of a space. A detail has the ability to shift scale, construction, and meaning in a way that embodies a new architectural condition. Architectural details are becoming an afterthought of the grandiose, gestural, design in architecture. They are an ornamental accent on many formal designs that can be interchangeable among projects. The transposition of detail between projects has become a standard in design to save money and limit time spent on design development. Using a detail as a generator is an attempt to develop a process that can create a vernacular of architectural details that will resonate with site-specific individuality. The creation of a project specific detail language will drive the design, and lead to a unique architectural form that could not exist with a foreign architectural detail. This project will focus on two typologies of the architectural detail, the habitual and the tectonic. The kinetic/habitual detail will create an environment that the occupant can modify to accommodate their individual needs. The static/tectonic detail will suggest how the space should be utilized in a way that is decisive and implied. The synthesis of these two typologies will create a unique experience for any occupant of the space. The majority of exceptional architectural design can be traced back to a strong understanding of site analysis. This is part of the research phase of the architectural process. It is a universal framework for creating architecture that resonates with its surrounding context. The next phase of architectural process is the design phase. This is where the architect uses his or her unique process to formalize a building concept, programmatic order, and strategy for construction. Architects have a wide range of design process that generate an infinite number of design outcomes. The design process phase is the most unique part of an architect’s substance. It is the foundation that makes that architect who they are. Despite its’ uniqueness, many architects fall under a similar category of approach for their design process. These architects generally begin their design phase with the development of a formal gesture of shape, mass, and proportion. This can lead to successful, though somewhat generic, architecture. This exercise explores an alternative design approach where specific architectural details are developed in direct response to the research phase of the architectural process. These details will respond to the needs of a specific architectural project, where they can create a vernacular catalog that can be used throughout the site. Without the proper development of this Architectural Detail, the intervention will inevitably create alien environments that do not harmonize with the existing architecture and site.
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Figure 81: Detail Diagram | 04 Process
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COMPETITION AS A VEHICLE The city of Roccomandolfi, Italy, has the potential to become a major tourist destination for a variety of visitors. It is located in the Isernia province, within reasonable travelling distance of major cities like Rome, Capri, and Foggia. Roccomandolfi is the crown sitting above the fairytale Italian landscape. It is the sole focal point for miles around and acts as the ancient guard overlooking hearth and sky. The once glorious battlegrounds were home to a 360-degree panoramic of bastions and lookouts. The views and positioning of the fortress were so prevailing that the castle was stripped and decommissioned by imperial forces, which believed it to be an asset too strategic for future battles. Only recently has the structure been restored to a glimpse of its original beauty and occupation. The fortress represents the lookout point that once protected its people from an imperial tyranny. Despite the prestige of this Castle, the city of Roccomandolfi has some of the lowest tourist numbers in all of Italy. This disinterest with the area can be attributed to a lack of reasonable accommodations for the tourist population. The Isernian government has come up with a plan to remedy their tourist problem, a global competition. They have commissioned a design/build competition in the search of tourist accommodation facilities. These facilities will take the shape of landscape cabins with an emphasis on sustainable and feasible design. The footprint of these cabins will be minimal and fractal to insure that the Castle maintains it’s hierarchy. I will tailor my design process around the proper application of the architectural detail. Utilizing the detail as a generator ensures that the intervention will resonate within its contextual setting. A variety of modular cabins will be introduced to fit the needs of different visitors. These cabins will employ the same architectural details to ensure a consistent vernacular language throughout the project.
Competition Rules -Building will not exceed a height of 5 meters. -Building will not exceed 3000 square meters overall. -Design, oriented towards the enhancement of the existing architectures must be guaranteed. - The building will have to guarantee the best visibility by taking into account its use by reduced mobility users. - The building will have to be eco-friendly. - The destruction of the existing facilities and tree cutting is forbidden. - Facilities that incorporate or insert themselves into the existing masts are permitted. - Tunneling and the creation of underground rooms is not allowed. - Intervention is included in the aim of the announcement (see dwg). - Intervention will guarantee a design in accordance with the surrounding architecture and landscape. - The working equipment, whether compatible or not, traditional or high-tech, must be in line with the existing architecture and the surrounding landscape.
Figure 82: Competition Brochure | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
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Figure 83: Location Diagram | Italy | 04 Process
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Figure 84: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 88: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 85: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 89: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 86: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 90: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
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Figure 87: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 91: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www. youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 92: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
Figure 93: Photo | Roccomandolfi, Italy | http://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/competition/castle-resort
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Figure 94: Site Analysis | 04 Process
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Figure 95: Site Location | 04 Process
Figure 96: Site Analysis | 04 Process
Figure 97: Site Analysis | 04 Process
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Figure 99: Detail Drawing | 04 Process
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Figure 98: Section Drawings | 04 Process
Figure 100: Detail Drawing | 04 Process
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Figure 101: Elevation | 04 Process
modular cabins The cabins will be based on 3 modular designs that can be tailored to fit specific needs on the site. These specific site conditions may include: elevation, slope, geological conditions, tree canopy, building footprint, view aspect ratio. These modern satellite structures will have a minimal footprint in the landscape, maintaining the integrity of the existing conditions. The structures will be sheltered in the tree line, preserving the iconic views that should remain safeguarded to preserve the areas history. The landscape cabins will be subtle, glowing, jewels in the night that illuminate the surrealist condition. They will be somewhat visible from the downhill town of Roccomandolfi, acting as beacons of attraction to the neighboring landscape.
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Figure 102: Detail Model | 04 Final Model
Figure 103: Detail Model | 04 Final Model
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Figure 104: Detail Model | 04 Final Model
Figure 105: Detail Model | 04 Final Model
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Figure 106: Section. Plan. | 04 Final Drawings
module 1. treetop platform The treetop platform utilizes the structural rigidity of a steel pile to achieve a vertical presence with minimal impact on the surrounding context. These platforms accommodate 1 to 2 guests with a simple storage and deck space. Structural tension connections provide adequate support for canvas enclosures, wind forces, and dynamic loads. The Module maintains principles of sustainability, and feasibility, by incorporating site-specific details. The architectural details that preface the design process maintain their characteristics across the different module designs. 82|
Figure 107: Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings
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THE KINETIC CURTAIN WALL Passive cooling is the most significant natural system utilized by the modular landscape cabins. With only minimal mechanical systems outfitted in the cabins, the natural systems have a large impact. The Kinetic Curtain Wall was an architectural detail inspired by the comfortable climate and beauty of Roccomandolfi. The system puts the occupant back in contact with nature and capitalizes on the ecological benefits of the site. The Curtain Wall ultimately shaped the formal qualities of the cabin. It acted as the datum for other architectural details to directly activate from.
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Figure 108: Axonometric Study | 04 Process Drawings
Figure 109: Detail Section and Elevation | 04 Process Drawings
Figure 110: Kinetic Curtain Wall | Axonometric | 04 Process Drawings
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module 2. the shelter The Shelter Module takes a minimalistic approach to a typical landscape cabin. It is elevated on steel piles to minimalize its impact on the landscape. Due to the hilltops lack of mechanical connections, the cabin is equipped with both self-sustainable and natural systems. Passive cooling, grey water collection, photovoltaic panels, and sliding curtain walls are a few of the systems that create a pleasant environment for the occupant, without a substantial construction cost. The simplicity, and small size, of the cabin allows for off-site manufacturing and simple on site instillation. The Shelter utilizes an array of poetic and tectonic details that together make up the enclosure they inhabit. Adjacent to the shelter is a simple facilities pod that occupants can use as a shower and bathroom. The rooftop has a bladder cistern that stores the collected grey water for use in the pod, while a well-pump supplies the potable water for the shower and sink.
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Figure 111: Plan | 04 Final Drawings
Figure 112: Exploded Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings
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module 3. the dwelling The Dwelling, the largest of the modular landscape cabins, has the capacity to house up to 5 guests comfortably. It utilizes the most advanced amenities with versatility in storage. The Module has an interior bathroom, and a large Kinetic Curtain Wall that opens the space to the landscape. A wood-burning stove keeps occupants warm in the night, and collapsible furniture opens the floor plan to a variety of programmatic needs. The module maintains the same architectural details as the other cabins, guaranteeing a cohesive harmony between the Modules on the landscape. Figure 113: Sketch | 04 Process
Figure 114: Plan | 04 Final Drawings
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Figure 115: Exploded Axonometric | 04 Final Drawings
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Figure 116: Box Studies | 04 Process
sustainability The landscape cabins, tree house suspensions, and walking platforms will be constructed from locally available materials, and assembled with locally available equipment. Much of the cabins can be constructed offsite with the use of prefabricated elements. This will help reduce costs and facilitate quicker construction periods. Roccomandolfi is the authentic Italian city of history and tradition. The landscape should be respected with the most minimally invasive construction techniques possible for a successful, built, intervention. With the minimalist nature of the cabins, and the application of prefabricated elements, the construction site will be a simple assembly site, reducing on-site operations and timing. Amenities, like bathroom units, are self sufficient with a rooftop cistern system that collects and stores water for occupant use. Solar units are affixed to the rooftop to allow for minor electrical hookups. The cabins will mainly rely on natural systems for comfort and accommodation. The natural systems may include: passive cooling, wood stove heating, manual sliding curtain wall/window. The cabins are designed to accommodate a natural, sustainable, stay in the hillside without losing the essence of an outdoor experience. The elevated pathways give low mobility patrons an easier route to navigate the rough terrain. The cabins range in size, accommodation, and location around the site. This hopes to ensure that every type of patron can find the Roccomandolfi experience that they are looking for.
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Figure 117: Box Studies | 04 Process
Figure 118: Box Studies | 04 Process
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Figure 119: Box Studies | 04 Process
Figure 120: Box Studies | 04 Process
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Figure 121: Sketch | 04 Process
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Figure 122: Longitudinal Section | 04 Final Drawing
Figure 123: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing
Figure 124: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing
Figure 125: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing
MOD. 1
MOD. 2
MOD. 3
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Figure 126: Site Plan | 04 Final Drawing
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CASTLE RESORT. roccomandolfi ,italy
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Figure 127: Rendering | 04 Final Drawing
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future applications The dominion of generators in architectural process is seemingly endless. My thesis has merely brushed the surface of the possibilities for future approaches in design process. Throughout my exercises, I filtered my generative devices into singular approaches unique to specific projects. This method helped me to analyze the successes or miscalculations of my design process, while simultaneously creating a catalog of architectural generators. In future applications of this thesis, I would experiment with the combinations of different generative devices to create an amalgamated design process of further possibility. The adjacent graphic exemplifies the combination of generators, light and architectural detail, to create a new entity of enclosure. The applications of the design process are endless, and in so, I would encourage designers to not fall in a complacent rhythm of creation. Instead of consistently following a process that has been proven to work, experiment with a new method that may lead to a tailor fit design for your specific project. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas A. Edison
Figure 128: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing
Figure 129: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing
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Figure 130: Light Study | 04 Process Drawing
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Figure 131: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing
Figure 132: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing
Figure 133: Tectonics Study | 04 Process Drawing
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Figure 134: Elevation Study | 04 Process Drawing
Figure 135: Axonometric | 04 Process Drawing
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works cited Agdag, Daniel. The Principles of Aerodynamics. Mars. 2014. Web. http://marsgallery.com.au/daniel-agdag-the-principles-of-aerodynamics/ Bowser, Matthew. Inside the Box. The Analysis of the Suitcase House. Web. https://suitcasehouse.wordpress.com/application/ Castelvecchio Museum. Tourism in Verona. (Veronissima). 2014. (Web) http://www.veronissima.com/sito_inglese/html/tour-museums- castelvecchio.html Clark, W.G. “Replacement”. Scribd. (2010). Web. http://www.sectioncut.com/collection/replacement-by-w-g-clark Danish National Maritime Museum / BIG. Arch Daily. (2013, October 20). Web. http://www.archdaily.com/440541/danish-national- maritime-museum-big Edge (HK). The Suitcase House. Arcspace.com. (2001). Web. http://www.arcspace.com/features/edge-hk-ltd/the-suitcase-house/ Frascari, Marco. “The Tell-the-Tale Detail.” In Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture, an Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, edited by Kate Nesbitt, 498-513. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. Historic Savannah. Riverfront Plaza, Visit Historic Savannah. (2006). Web. http://www.visit-historic-savannah.com/river-street.html Kahn, Louis I. (1986) “The Invisible City,” International Design Conference, Aspen, Colorado, 19 June 1972. In What Will Be Has Always Been: The Words of Louis I. Kahn, ed. Richard Saul Wurman (New York: Rizzoli International Publications), 1986, p. 150 Millar, A H. (1895) Fife: pictorial and historical: its people, burghs, castles and mansions’, 2v. Cupar, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Page(s): Vol. 1, 184-7 RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.4.MIL.R Mukarovsky, “The Place of the Aesthetic Function,” op. cit., 240-243. MVRDV. Mvrdv Complete Crystal Houses Amsterdam, A Flagship Store With A Replica Façade Made Entirely Out Of Glass. 2016. (Web) https://www.mvrdv.nl/news/mvrdv-complete-crystal-houses Philip Johnson. “Architectural Details,” Architectural Record (1964):137-147 Scamozzi, Vincenzo. Scamozzi’s. L’Idea dell’Architettura Universale (“The Idea of a Universal Architecture”). (1615) Sennett, R. (2008). The craftsman. New Haven: Yale University Press.
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Figure 136: Detail Model | 04 Final Model